Surface drain



June 3, 1958 J. H. SCHMID 2,837,212

SURFACE DRAIN Filed Feb. 1o, 1954 ,L 62 l'III/ll INVENTQR United States Patent i SURFACE DRAIN John H. Schmid, Westfield, N. J., assignor to J. A. Zurn lVltg. Co., Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania This invention relates generally to drains and more particularly to surface drains adapted to accommodate large amounts of water. This application is a continuation in part of rny co-pending application, Serial No. 229,605, which issued as Patent No. 2,689,017 on September 14, 1954 As pointed out in my co-pending application, drains made in accordance with the teaching of the prior art and with which I am familiar do not provide means for the breaking up of the air entrapped in the water flowing through the reservatory of the drain and the outlet leading therefrom. In these prior drains, there is an eddy formed in the center of the drain by the water passing therethrough. In other words, water owing in large `quantities into a drain pipe tends to move spirally in a vortex or whirlpool upon entering the drain. As a result,v aconsiderable amount of air entrapped is carried with they water from the reservatory and into the outletI pipe leading therefrom. and greatly impedes the ow ofV Waterv to the drain outlet pipe. The entrapped air also tends to elfectively reduce the capacityl of the drain line with the result that water is backed up on the surface being `drained and a flood condition often results. Prior drains also permit a sudden contractiony of the Water flowing into the pipe from the surface, causing a relatively high loss of pressure at the entrance which greatly impedes the flow of water to they drain outlet.

In my co-pending application, I disclose a means for eliminating vortexes in a drain. In this application, Iv disclosev a; means for. inhibiting vortexes` and'reducing the effect thereof. In some applications of' drains, it is not necessary to completely eliminate vortexes therefrom but a. satisfactory flow through the reservatory and the drain can be accomplished by reducing the eifect ofthe vortex. In order to accomplish this, I provide radially extending 'ns on the inside of they reservatory which prevent a swirling action in the insidey of the reservatory. The liquid friction between the liquidheld against swirling by the ns reacts on the liquid in the centerfof a. reservatory to materially reduce and, iny some cases, entirely eliminate vortexes. This is of extreme importance in accomplishing the maximum How through a drain pipe.

It is, accordingly, an object of my inventionV to overcome: they above and other defects in surface drains and itis more particularly an object of my invention to provide a surface drain which is simple in. construction, economical in cost, economical to manufacture,Y and efcient in operation.

Another object of'my inventionY is to: provide a surface drainwhich will inhibit the formation, of an eddy in the reservatory.

Another object of Vmy inventionv isv to provide a. drain which will increase the head of water therein andV minimizethe impedance tothe flow of water through the drain.

Another object. of this invention is to provide a surface drain which, inhibits the entrapment. of air in the water.

This entrapped air reduces the head' Fatented June 3, 1958 rice A further object of the invention i's to provide a drain having ns in the reservatory thereof to inhibit the formation of vortexes.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction Without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view partly in cross section of a drain according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side view partly in cross section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view 'taken in line 4-4 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side view partly in cross section of still another embodiment of the invention; and Y Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 5.

Now with more specific reference to the drawing, I show an embodiment of my invention in Fig. l wherein a cup shaped reservatory 20 has an internally threaded outlet 2l. in the bottom thereof for threadable engagement with the male threaded end of an outlet pipe 22 leading therefrom. The reservatory 20 has an outwardly directed marginal llange 23 on the upper end thereof and has inwardly directed ears 24 with threaded apertures 25 on the inner side thereof. The bottom of the flange 23 is tapered at 26 and is adapted to engage a root or similar structural element for support thereby. A clamping ring 28 is secured to the reservatory 20 by screw bolts 29 which extend through apertures 30 in the clamping ring 2S and threadably engage the threaded apertures 25 in the ears 24. The clamping ring 28 has an oiiset portion 3l corresponding to an olset Igrooved portion 32 in the llange 23 between which is clamped a conventional roong paper 33. The upper side of the clamping ring 28 is 'substantially merged with the upper surface of the paper 33 of the roof. An upwardly extending guard ring 35 extends upwardly from the clamping ring 28 to form a shield against gravel and other heavy particles.

A dome strainer 3S is mounted on top of the reserva'- tory 20. The lower portion 39 of the dome strainer 38 ares outwardly and upwardly at 39a. Opposed radially extending slots 43 therein extend downwardly to substantially the same horizontal plane as that of the rooting paper 33, thereby providing a drainage' of water fromv the roof under normal conditions. The outer portion of the lower mating section 39 of the strainer 3S is spaced from` the upper side of the ring 35 a predetermined disv tance, thereby forming an annular opening 39e of predetermined width to provide a strainer for prevent-ing debris from passing into the pockets between the ring 35 and the member 39a.

The upper section 40 of the strainer 38 has circumferentially spaced vertically extending' slots 46 in the lower portion thereof which permit the maximum flow of water to the reservatory 20. The' upper section 40 of' U38. isrounded so asto prevent sudden contraction. of

' 3 fluid through the dome strainer 38 and to decrease the entrance loss in pressure due to the sudden contraction of the water as in conventional drains.

The supporting ring 50 of the strainer 38 has a leg S1 extending radially outwardly therefrom which forms a `slot and isl engaged by the inwardly directed member 50a. The leg 51 underlies the member 50a to form a bayonet joint by means of which the dome strainer 38 may be detachably secured to the clamping ring 28. The slots 46 in the upper section of the strainer 38 are at an elevation with relation to the reservatory 20 on the top of the roof to substantially increase the head of the lluid in the reservatory 20 to -carry off heavy rainful due to cloudbursts and the like and they are particularly useful where paper, leaves, and other material tend to clog the drain openings formed in the lower section 39 in the strainer 3S and the opening between the lower portion 39 of the strainer 38 and the top of the guard ringr35.

Integral with the bottom of the reservatory 2i?, l form bailles 60 having inwardly extending7 portions 61. The bames 60 are integral with the reservatory 20 and merge therewith at 62. The bottom of the balles 69 are integral with the bottom of the reservatory Ztl at 63. The battles 60 are disposed at spaced points around the inner periphery of the reservatory 20. The tops 64 of the battles 60 terminate adjacent the top of the reservatory Ztl. vlnwardly extending ears 24 are provided to receive the bolts in the apertures 25. It will oe noted that the bailles 60 generally form fins around the inside of the reservatory 20.

The drain is designed to readily carry 'off the normal rainfall. Upon the occurrence of an abnormal rainfall or cloudburst, the slots 46 in the upper section 40 of the dome strainer 38 come into play. The water passes through the slots l46 and is broken up by the ns or bailles 60 and the spiral or rotational velocity of the water passing through the drain is thereby greatly impeded without impeding the downward velocity of the water axially of the drain outlet. After striking the ballles 60, the Water is directed downward through the outlet to the pipe 22, thereby minimizing the entrance loss of pressure. The baflles 60 prevent eddying or vortexes. The comparatively deep reservatory 20 permits a comparatively high head of water to form therein and inasmuch as the water passing through the slots 46 in the strainer 38 must pass a substantial distance through the strainer 38 on the reservatory 20 to discharge outlet 21 of the drain, substantially all of the air is vented from the water in this manner. Furthermore, because of the great distance the water must travel through the reservatory 2t) from the strainer 38 and the lower lineal velocity thereof because of contact with the cross webs or baffles 66, a maximum separation of water from air results. The water is prevented from forming a vortex so as to entrain' air therewith. The water hits the baille members 60 and moves directly downward to the drain opening 21. The water in the center which might form a vortex is restrained therefrom by the frictional drag thereon by the water held in directed flow toward the center by the hailles 60. The inhibiting action of the bales 60 in the reservatory 2h, therefore, prevents vortexes and aids in releasing the entrained air in the water, thereby substantially increasing the ilow through my novel drain.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 3`

and 4, I show a novel type of drain comprising a reservatory 120 having an outwardly extending flange 123, the

llange 123 being generally constructed as the ilange 23 in v Fig. 1. The strainer may be supported on a shoulder 131 of the flange 123 by means of the ring 2S in the same manner that the ring 28 in Fig. l supports the strainer. The inner periphery of the reservatory 126 has inwardly scalloped sides 160 which form scallops on the inside of the reservatory 120 reacting on the water similar to the action of the baftles 60 in Fig. 1. The scallops may he considered fins for all practical purposes. The bottom part of the reservatory at 121 is threaded to receive the male end of a drainage pipe as in Fig, 1. The upper edge of the fins terminate in a shoulder 130 having a threaded hole therein. The main distinction between this embodiment of my invention and that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is the manner in which I form the scallops or baffles on the edges of thek reservatory. These scallops eliminate the necessity of vcasting baffles integral with the inside of the reservatory and result in a simplification in the manufacturing process of the reservatory.

In Fig. 5, I show a reservatory 220 similar to the reservatory 20 in Fig. 1; however, the reservatory in this embodiment of the invention is adapted for use as a surface drain and has an upwardly extending flange 240 having a stepped portion 241 which provides a ledge 242 to support the strainer 243. Batlles 260 are cast inside the inner periphery of the reservatory 220 and are integral therewith and join the reservatory 220 at 262. The outwardly extending flange 226 is provided forV support on a floor or the like. Drain holes 274) allow water to flow into the reservatory 220 which may llow down onto the flange 226 on the top of flange 240.

`In the foregoing specification, I have set forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but l am aware that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood isrbroadly novel as is commensurate with the, appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are delined as follows:

l. A surface drain for handling large quantitiesof water comprising an open cup shaped reservatory, saidl reservatory having a generally llat bottom, a dischargeY outlet in said bottom, side walls extending upwardly from said bottom, said discharge outlet being substantially smaller in transverse cross sectional area than the transverse cross sectional area of said reservatory, and spaced,

radially extending bames attached to the inside of said reservatory, said bales being spaced along the inner periphery of said reservatory and extending parallel to the axis 'of said reservatory, said baflles terminating adjacent the outside edge of said outlet and extending upwardly and terminating near the top of said reservatory.

2. The surface drain recited in claim l wherein bosses are formed integral with the top of said bailles, said bosses being bored to receive means to hold a strainer in rigid relation with said reservatory. Y

. 3. The surface drain recited in claim l wherein a peripheral ilange extends outward from the intermediate portion of said reservatory and a portion of said reservatory extends upward from said flange and holes are formed in the sides of said reservatory adjacent said flange.

4. A surface drain for handling large quantities of water comprising an open cup shaped reservatory, said reservatory having a discharge outlet in the bottom there- Y of, said discharge outlet being substantially smaller in transverse cross sectional area than the transverse cross sectional area of said reservatory, and spaced radially ex tending baffles attached to the inside of the walls of said reservatory, said bailles terminating adjacent the outside edge of said outlet and extending upwardly and terminating near the top of said reservatory, the inner periphery of said reservatory being formed in the shape of scallops, thereby forming said bafes.

5. The surface drain recited in claim 4 wherein threaded bosses are provided in the top portion of said scallops and a strainer is supported on said scallops and on said bosses.

6. The surface drain recited in claim 4 wherein the upper edge portion of said reservatory has a stepped portion forming a ledge, one edge of said batlles terminating at said stepped portion forming aA continuation therewith, and a strainer means supported on said ledge and on said baflles.

7. A surface drain for handling large quantities of water comprising a cup shaped reservatory body having an inlet opening formed therein, said reservatory body having a discharge outlet formed therein and spaced from said inlet opening, and spaced radially andaxially extendf ing baflies attached to the inside surface of said reservatory body to prevent turbulence in water in said reservatory body, said baffles comprising inwardly extending scallops formed by the sides of said reservatory body bent inwardly at spaced points around the periphery thereof.

8. The surface drain recited in claim 7 wherein the upper edge of said scallops terminates in a shoulder and a strainer is supported on said shoulder.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hirshstein Aug. 10, Niedecken et al. Dec. 15, Rieger et al. Feb. 19, Warren Aug. 31, Matheis Dec. 6, Schmid June 3, Sisk Nov. 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 4, Germany a Jan. 25, 

